Devotion and Defiance * 2004

Countless times I had planned to go to savetibet.org and order something to at least to something for the suppressed people of Tibet, how little it is. We tend to forget. It has been so long ago since the Chinese decided to occupy Tibet and violently entered the country on the rooftop of the world. Monastries were destroyed, monks and nuns beaten or worse. China sent her own inhabitents to Tibet to force their culture on the Tibetan people and recently they even glamourously opened a railway connection from China to Tibet in the hope that more people (Chinese or tourists) will invade the country. For economic reasons, the West doesn’t do a thing. China is too much of an interesting partner to point towards the injustice they commit in their neighbouring country. Worse even, Westerners think it is hip to go on a ‘spiritual journey’ to the city of Lhasa or visit one of the monastries (under Chinese command). Exactly what the Chinese want! In any case, for a long time, the “international campaign for Tibet” try to bring the subject under attention. With success I might add, since many people buy their Tibetan flags and DVDs and so did I. I hope the money is well-spent, but I think a Western “no” to China would be much more helpfull than some money.
“Devotion and Defiance” is a 35-minute documentary that may not bring much news. You will see about the invasion of China, the suppressed Tibetans, the ups and downs of the people, a bit about the monastries. I may have seen this documentary, or one much like it, on TV already, but that doesn’t mind. It is only $ 6,-, undoubtely by far not enough to make a stand, but still, if everyone buys something from this organisation, something might happen some day.